IV and Injectable Vitamins & Chelation

The Treatment Experience: What to Expect with Intravenous Vitamin Therapy

What is Intravenous (IV) Vitamin Therapy?

Intravenous therapy is an excellent delivery method of therapeutic and nutritional agents. Unfortunately, when we ingest nutritive supplements in the form of tinctures, pills or capsules, much may be lost in the digestive process. When specially prepared nutrients are administered intravenously, they bypass the liver and digestive organs and are delivered directly into the bloodstream where they can circulate and be delivered directly to the tissues and cells of the body. In many chronic and depleted conditions, the digestive functions are often compromised. IV therapy can provide these patients with large doses of nutrients delivered comfortably and safely as part of an integrated naturopathic treatment program. Also, many diseases cause the body to use nutrien ts at a faster rate, or to require higher amounts for proper healing. In acute infections, smaller I.V. doses can be used to enhance immune function and fight off infection.

Who administers and supervises my IV Vitamin Therapy?

Your IV therapy will be administered by one of our Naturopathic Physicians who have all undergone advanced training in the administration of all types of intravenous nutrient therapy. Our Naturopathic Physicians will formulate a IV to suit your particular health concerns.

Where do I actually have my IV vitamin therapy?

Here at the Vancouver Island Naturopathic Clinic, we are dedicated to making sure that our patients are as comfortable as possible and have a positive treatment experience. Your IV vitamin therapy will typically take place within our designated laboratory room or, for patients needing to be reclined during their treatment, we will conduct the IV therapy in one of our acupuncture rooms. Many of our patients enjoy reading a book, listening to music, or using their laptops while they have their IV nutrient therapy session!

Does having an IV therapy treatment hurt?

Because of our physicians expertise, there is only a tiny pinprick sensation when entering the vein. Most patients say they hardly even notice it.

How long will my IV nutrient therapy take?

It varies. Depending on your specific treatment, your may have a quick "IV push," which takes just a few minutes, or a longer-lasting IV drip, which may take 15-90 minutes.

What are some examples of commonly administered vitamins and nutrients through IV therapy?

The Myers' Cocktail is a powerful blend of vitamins and minerals designed for IV use. It was originally developed in the 1970s by the late Dr. John Myers, a Maryland physician who used IV therapy to treat his patients. Since then, many people all over the world have been using the Myers' Cocktail to help treat a broad spectrumof health conditions.

Here are some examples of when our Naturopathic Physicians may recommend a Myers Cocktail: (please note this is not a conclusive list)

Immune enhancement and prevention of colds and flus

Chronic, deep and persistent infectious conditions

Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Adrenal fatigue and other conditions can respond with more energy and less symptoms

Headaches and migraines

Chronic depression, where patients feel an energy boost lasting days or weeks

Rheumatoid arthritis

Hypertension

Ulcerative colitis, the injections help get necessary nutrients into the cells

Chronic asthma and other lung disease• Chronic allergic problems

Weight loss, some of these nutrients can help to boost metabolism

Performance enhancement

Other nutrients that are commonly administered include:

IV Glutathione:

IV glutathione is becoming an increasingly important part of the intravenous nutrient therapy, as the scientific basis for IV glutathione is well established, and clinical studies have established excellent results across a variety of conditions, including serious chronic diseases.

Glutathione is potent antioxidant which quenches dangerous free radicals. It also binds to dangerous toxins through a process called "conjugation" so that the toxins can be safely eliminated. IV glutathione is often preferred over oral glutathione because oral glutathione is not very stable, meaning stomach acid and enzymesbreak it down rendering it therapeutically useless. Therefore we have to use IV glutathione because it bypasses the digestive system and administers the glutathione directly into the bloodstream so it can be effectively delivered to your cells. Conditions that may benefit from IV glutathione include: (please not this is not a conclusive list)

The nutritional supplement MSM has become increasingly popular in recent years. It has helped many people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal problems because it is a potent anti-inflammatory, as well as antioxidant. So many diseases are caused by, or exacerbated by the processes of inflammation and/or oxidation making IV MSM a appropriate therapy.Conditions that may benefit from IV MSM include: (please not this is not a conclusive list)

Autoimmune diseases

Rheumatoid arthritis

Lupus

Scleroderma

Osteoarthritis

Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Neuropathic pain

Hypercholesterolemia

Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease

Allergic rhinitis (hayfever)

IV Vitamin C:

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is a very well known nutrient. Linus Pauling, Nobel prize-winning chemist began promoting Vitamin C as a universal cure-all. Based on the extensive body of scientific research on Vitamin C, the Naturopathic Physicians at the Vancouver Island Naturopathic Clinic believe that Vitamin C has an important place in the prevention and treatment of a variety of diseases and disorders.

Vitamin C has many uses and benefits when it comes to one's overall health. It is required to make your brains neurotransmitters, including serotonin. It is a potent antioxidant and therefore helpful in neurological conditions. It is also an effective anti-inflammatory and plays a big role in one's immunity.So why is IV Vitamin C recommended when you could just take Vitamin C orally? High doses of oral vitamin C (greater than 5g/day) causes digestive upset and diarrhea meaning that not much is absorbed and most is excreted through your stool. With IV Vitamin C, your Naturopathic Physician can much larger doses of Vitamin C than could be given orally. We often give Vitamin C as a part of a Myers cocktail because this allows us to take advantage of synergistic biochemical effects.Conditions that may benefit from IV Vitamin C include: (please not this is not a conclusive list)

Cold and flu--shortens both severity of illness, as well as, duration

Wound healing

Depression--helps to increase neurotransmitter levels

Fatigue--helps to boost energy

Allergies--has to decrease the release of histamine, therefore acting as an anti-histamine

Neurological conditions--has anti-inflammatory properties

I'm interested in learning about IV therapy and feel I may be a good candidate, how do I proceed from here?

In order to learn about or receive IV therapy, call and book an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Physicians by calling 250-881-1806. Your Naturopathic Physician will conduct a thorough intake to ensure that IV therapy is the right choice for you and which combination of nutrients is going to be best to suit your particular health concerns. In order for your Naturopathic Physician to be able to administer IV therapy, they will require you that you have had recent blood work (in the last 3 months) which they can requisition for you or, your through your GP. Blood work that there require includes the following laboratory tests:

CBC + differential

Liver function tests--ALT, AST, GGT

Kidney function tests --urea, BUN, creatinine

Electrolytes--Potassium, sodium, magnesium• Lipid panel

G6PD

Urinalysis

Vitamin D

Other Injectable Therapies Offered

Immune Boosting Injection

We offer homeopathic immune support consisting of two homeopathic remedies Engystol-Heel and Grippe-Heel. These are safe and have been found effective in clinical trials to fight cold and flu by stimulating the immune system. We recommend an immune injection every three months for the general population or monthly for those at increased risk for cold and flu such as elderly, those unable to have a mainstream influenza immunization, families with small children, and those whom are immunocompromised. For infants and young children, we offer an oral dose of the same homeopathic remedies in place of an injection. Our immune support protocol can be used alone or in conjunction with the flu vaccination. THIS IS NOT A VACCINATION. You will also be provided with a take home immune support plan for the whole family.

Lipo-MIC Injections

Weekly injections containing a highly-absorbable synergistic blend of minerals, vitamins and amino acids that help to get rid of stubborn body fat and boost energy. The ingredients has a long track record of safety which helps to make the decision, as to whether or not they are a good choice for you, easier.

B Vitamin Injections

Vitamin B complex injections allow for the rapid absorption of B vitamins by the body cells and tissues. They are used to treat fatigue, poor energy, anemia, depression, anxiety, vitamin B deficiency, dermatitis, psoriasis, weightloss and many other health conditions. Vitamin B complex injections are also beneficial for people who have problems in taking or absorbing oral vitamin supplements ex. crohns's disease, ulerative colitis, celiac, advanced age, hypochlorhydria, and many other conditions.

Neural Therapy

What is Neural therapy?

Neural therapy is a physical therapy that was first developed in Germany and has been safely practiced around the world since the 1940’s with great success. It involves the use of Procaine, a well-known local anaesthetic, and homeopathic preparations that are injected into nerve sites, acupuncture points, scars, muscular trigger points, and other tissues to relieve and treat pain and dysfunction. Common conditions treated with neural therapy include acute and chronic muscular pain, joint pain, arthritis pain, sports injuries, posttraumatic conditions, postsurgical pain, jaw pain, sinusitis, hypothyroidism, hay fever, migraines, head pain, and etc.

How does it work?

Neural therapy works on the autonomic nervous system, to reset it and normalize function. It involves the use of specific homeopathic preparations, chosen to treat the presenting condition and assist in the healing response, combined with Procaine. The injected anaesthetic numbs the nerve endings within the treatment area by changing their membrane potential. It is the temporary change in the membrane potential of the nerve cell membrane that is the desired effect. When the anaesthetic wears off, the expectation is for the membrane potential to return to normal, along with the nerve function.

What is the Autonomic Nervous System?

The autonomic nervous system is a network of nerves that controls all bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, blood flow, perspiration, breathing, and every other unconscious bodily function. It consists of two divisions: the parasympathetic nervous system which promotes healing and repair, and the sympathetic nervous system which controls our ''flight” or “fight'' response. Stress on the body, such as mental trauma, physical trauma, infections or toxin exposure results in the activation of our sympathetic nervous system. Once the stress is removed, the body is allowed to return to its previous normal functioning state. Unfortunately, the body does not always respond the way it is supposed to and an area of the body can become caught in the flight or fight state. The compromised area becomes what is termed an interference field and may result in years of pain, dysfunction, decreased performance and disease. Neural therapy is used to correct the interference field to help normalize and stabilize nerve function.

What to expect when coming in for Neural Therapy?

Usually, six session of neural therapy is required to determine the extent of benefit neural therapy will have. For many, improvement will be seen within the first two sessions. However, as one area of the body moves into a healing state, often older traumas, or more deeply rooted traumas, to the body resurface and have to be addressed. Since Neural therapy is a form of injection therapy there will be some discomfort. The amount of discomfort will depend on the area being treated but, rest assured, that the discomfort will only be momentary and will quickly subside. Side effects associated with neural therapy tend to be temporary and include mild bruising, mild discomfort for a day, and temporary numbness. Some patients feel temporarily lightheaded. Each person has their own individual responses to the treatment. It is important to note that all responses should be reported to the administering physician.

Heavy Metal Testing

Heavy metal toxicity is becoming more and more prevalent with the toxins we are putting into our environment. Elevated levels of mercury, lead, cadmium etc can significantly impair biomolecular functions in the body leading to disease. Heavy metals have been associated to conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, alzheimers, osteoporosis, MS, lupus, autoimmune disease, autism and many others. Prior to testing your Doctor will request blood work to assess your health. You will then be asked to complete comprehensive laboratory testing and kidney function testing to ensure chelation safety. To test for heavy metal levels, you will then complete either or both a pre or post provocation urine test to assess for both acute exposure and chronic body burden to establish heavy metal levels in the body and to better select the correct course of chelation therapy per heavy metal elevated.

Chelation

Chelation involves administering a chemical to the body that is able to bind those metal ions and remove them from the blood through the kidneys into the urine. Chelating agents may be administered orally, rectally or intravenously.

Common chelating agents we use are:

Calcium Disodium EDTA

DMSA

Treatments are scheduled every 1-2 weeks for a period of 6-20 weeks depending on body burden, blood work and symptomatology. You will also be given a supplement plan to follow to support your body with the chelation process.